Sex Trade and Trafficking - Term Paper Example

SEX TRADE AND TRAFFICKING Student’s Name Institution Lecture Date Introduction Today we live in a world that has fully conceded to man’s ultimate control over others. The unjustified enslavement of human beings and especially females in the 21st century is a show of a degenerated state of affairs that affirms that one of the greatest challenges facing most women across the globe is sex trade and trafficking. According to Bernat (2013), these two terms are closely related and in many cases, the issues involved or considered are more or the same related. Beddoe (2007) defines sex trafficking as a systematic rape for profit. He adds that during sex trade or trafficking, fraud, force, and coercion are used to control the behavior of the victims. Additionally, there is a close relationship between sex trafficking and human trafficking especially in ways of how both are carried out. In most instances, adults are lured into this industry through disguised promises of better-paying jobs in same or other countries; some are kidnaped while others are offered false marriage proposals. Children, on the other hand, may be sold by their family members or kidnapped. In some instances, parents are manipulated or lied to, that their children will have a brighter future if they left their families. They are later sold to brothels and held captives by these traffickers. Most of the victims live in deplorable conditions and frequently raped risking high chances of contracting deadly sexually transmitted infections. Today, the sex trade is not limited to females only; boys and men have now become victims as well. International Labor Organization (ILO) defines sex trafficking under forced labor. Hence, sex trafficking is officially defined as sex-related services or work that is exacted from an individual under the threat of a penalty and where a person has not offered herself or himself voluntarily. Sex trafficking is a form of business where traffickers continue to make an increased profit and will continue to invite more ‘investors' if nothing is done to prevent it globally. It is now a global problem presently, and it is expected to increase throughout the world. It will continue to exist and grow but in new forms that will involve sex and prostitution. According to Wylie and McRedmond (2010), sex trade is a growing epidemic, and it is considered to be one of the top 3 largest profitable organized crimes. Regarding this, this paper will discuss key issues related to sex trafficking. Consequently, it will also provide some of the best ways to address these critical issues based on organizations or social movements across the globe. Key Issues with Sex Trafficking Sex trafficking, a proponent of human trafficking, is a very critical issue that is prevalent across the globe and within the boundaries of own country. Today, most of the individual across the society are now almost socially accepting it. It is becoming a challenge and especially on how to contain it due to many loopholes in our society, government and justice system. It is estimated that over 800,000 people are trafficked worldwide each year (Appendix 1). McCabe and Manian (2011) explains that sex trade is something that has been entrenched since the historical times; he adds that the practice of trading sex for money started during the third millennia. However, today sex trade is viewed in a different perspective, as evil and dehumanizing. But in spite of all the attention and a visionary group of frontrunners aiming to address this nightmare, there are key issues that remain to successfully combat sex trafficking across the globe. This section will identify and discuss three primary issues associated with sex trafficking. 1. Poor understanding the scope of Sex Trafficking Before the relevant government and global authorities develop policies and programs to resolve the issue on sex trafficking, it is mandatory to first understand the nature and scope of the problem. This is because, as much as we know more about sex trafficking, there is no actual or precise knowledge of its extent mainly due to lack of reliable data. Most of the primary statistics that are available in the world data are estimates and not the actual number. That is, estimates stand for hard numbers making the confirmed crime to appear much lower. For instance, according to some of the data collected by FBI in the USA, it approximated that 293, 000 children are at risk of the sex trade. However, its recent reports showed that the FBI recovered over 2700 victims between 2003 to 2013 is probably a significant underrepresentation of the total state of sex trafficking. This is based on the data collected by other independent sources during the same period, their final outcomes, however, different but they did not show any correlation with that of the FBI (Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability, 2015). Also, local law enforcement and social services agents barely collect and present sex trafficking reports cases the same way and thus undermining opportunities of having concrete and more accurate data. I, however, the main the reason that these three bodies do not report is because of high chances of representing or engaging in inconsistent data. Most of the accurate data are Mostly obtained from already convicted culprits, since this is more accurate, nevertheless, not everyone involved in sex trafficking is arrested and thus making this data inaccurate as well. Countries and various organization across the globe have tried to come together to address this issue of comprehensive data regarding human trafficking through having a standard and a well-elaborated data collection guidelines. However, there remain major challenges that hinder collecting these data. First, most of the countries and the local law enforcement agencies does not have adequate capacities to collect this data due to not receiving necessary training regarding sex trafficking and how to identify this type of cases. The inability to recognize this type of cases means that many trafficking cases end up being unrecognized and unreported. Secondly, lack of adequate training also means that trafficked and at-risk youth may end being unrecognized as victims also, most of these cases are carried out in a very organized and hidden manner. This makes the crimes swifter, making it hard for them to catch the attention of the law enforcement. A third significant barrier to comprehensive data collection on sex trafficked victims is that most victims related to these crimes do not always identify themselves as such. While, the government and law enforcers might anticipate getting more self-reporting from victims, especially young victims inform of a request for help to social service agencies. This does not happen, as most of them during the time of trafficking do not consider themselves as victims, while others may be hesitant to perceive themselves as victims because of the trauma of their experience. 2. Reframing the Issue Most of law and policy makers both at local and international levels recognize that trafficking of human, both male and female is unacceptable crime and thus, they have endorsed legislation that criminates these activities involving sex traffic and as well as imposing hefty punishment on the perpetrators. Also, to make sex as one of the criminal activities, they have merged it with forced labor to make more ‘lethal’. Additionally, some legal organization has created a special category for traffickers that involve victims who are under 18 years regardless of whether they were forced, fraud or coercion was involved or not. Since the creation of these new laws, they have been increased prosecution of traffickers in most countries. Likewise, some public prosecutors are now prosecuting most of these offenders based on past cases with the aim of getting justice. Additionally, other human rights organization in conjunction with law organization have gone a step further of launching a public relation campaign aimed at combating sex trafficking. However, as various agencies from different regions have made advancement in prosecuting more traffickers, a majority of the jurisdiction have trailed and failed on how to treat the victims. Assuming the experiences of the victims means that those who are involved voluntarily such as underage prostitutes are only arrested, prosecuted, jailed or detained with other dangerous offenders, and later freed back to the society even more traumatized due to prison experience. This, therefore, constitutes to the scenario of half-baked cake. The primary argument behind this is that the effort made by various legal systems and other organization to put traffickers behind bars is a partially complete job. There should be a provision of an appropriate support care for these victims of sex trafficking; this is considered to be even more or equally important than stopping the traffickers. This is according to Flowers (2006) who argues that we perceive individuals who exually exploit the young girls and women as evil and self-centered and only deserve long prison sentences. But to combat trafficking, we must do it as a whole, and this includes shifting our collective thinking to even the victims who might soon end up being traffickers in reviving the sex traffick sex back into the mainstream. 3. Breakdown in the overlapping social system While there is no sufficient comprehensive data regarding the scope of sex traders across the regions, most of them target young members who from a particular vulnerable community and have recurrent contact with different social service agencies who are ill motivated to exploit them. First, the little available data suggest that most of these offender are high lookout for young individuals and some are as young as five years to an average of 15 (Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability, 2015). Secondly, the available data also suggest that most sex trafficking victims are overwhelmingly female. This rate is high, and it is estimated that 94 percent of victims between years 2008 to 2010 were females. Additionally, according to Traffic Resource Center hotline between years 2007 to 2012, most of the cases reported involving female victims. Lastly, there exist common characteristics that has been observed by caregivers and especially victims of child sex abuse, this charcteristics is that most of them are a vulnerable social group such as foster care and other related social setups and they rate of involvement is up to up to 86 percent (APPENDIX 2). Additionally, one of the other groups that are also vulnerable is LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). This group is widely assumed and overrepresented in homeless youth in many countries. Most of them face family rejection which is one of the significant drivers of elevated rates of homelessness for most LGBT. Therefore, without stable social support, most LGBT members face and experience a very high rate of victimization. This, in turn, creates a social gap which renders a majority of these groups discussed to be victims of sex traffickers since they are easily lured in search of more safe and comforting places (Confronting commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States, n.d.). Addressing of the issues While it might not be easy to identify the precise statistics of people under sex trafficking, plans are underway to resolve this problem. The MONSTRASEC project is one of the conceived under the European Union that has been molded to address this issue associated with incomplete, inaccurate and incomparable data regarding human trafficking including sex trafficking (Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability, 2015). The team through this project also presents some more other solutions that would help resolve this issue especially while collecting and collecting data form other parties. One of the solutions put advocated by this organization to address this issue involve raising the concern to have accurate, reliable data and as well as standardization of data collection methods. This is based on the fact that, for agencies and other involved organization to pay more attention to the importance of having accurate data, they first must understand and be fully convinced of the seriousness of the problem. This calls for serious mobilization through media and other relevant organization to exert pressure and influence relevant research boards to have more accurate information. According to Kara (2016) the collection of data must be an ongoing process to make it easy to establish trends. This requires placement of essential elements which include adequate legislation, immigration officials, the political will to mobilize against trafficking, witness protection, and proper data collection. One of the primary roles of this organization is to modify and offer a practical IT tool that is integrated and multi-disciplinary that would process and present data in a more uniform and accurate way. In addition to this, the organization has emphasized the need to harmonize data collection instruments and proper coordination of the statistical data both at regional and international level. On the other hand, Clinton Global Initiative has developed a shared toolbox aimed at combating sex traffic. The organization to together with Senate finance committee created a collaboration that marked up legislation that would assist in resolving social gaps that are created or experienced by the minority such as LGBT or children in foster homes with a more amicable solution (Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability, 2015). Their aim is to save child welfare system where children welfare administrators to now screen for traffickers in their case loads and report all children that are missing from state care and report them to necessary law enforcement and national center for missing and exploited children. This is because there is a glaring intersection between the youth who miss or escape from state care and those found as victims of trafficking. Additionally, the collaboration has also seen the Wyden-Cornyn legislation which will significantly help the issue on a deficiency in our current criminal justice response by offering financial support and relevant training resources to enlighten law enforcers and prosecutors to efficiently go after sex traffickers (Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability, 2015). This will aim to increase the level of comprehension of these agents and seek to improve how they perceive sex trafficking. Also, with the adequate knowledge, they will also be able to handle some of the sex traffick victims with necessary care in a bid to reduce regeneration or rebirth of this cycle. Conclusion While it may not be clear of how many young children are being exploited and abused, it is vivid that sex trafficking of most children and teenagers is a serious problem which needs urgent attention. Some of the issues presented in this paper are not insurmountable, and there is a growing coalition of lawmakers that come from both parties that are committed to strengthening relevant laws to easily protect young people and other vulnerable individuals from society from these devastating experiences. Moreover, there is a strong relation between sex trafficking and gender exploitation. According to Dominelli (2007), poverty, gender-based discrimination and a history of physical and sexual violence are all major factors that can influence women and children to be vulnerable to sex traffickers. Therefore based on this, community moral support and progressive community should also rise and get involved to figure out the best efforts to address some of these issues especially on poverty, LGBT, racial justice and female exploitation within our society. High stands will empower and create a standard for girls and women – who are the majority victims- on how they should be treated and addressed, that is, with respect and equality, this is because according to data available (Female Sex Trafficking, 2012). Today, over 6000 females’ case have been reported compared to men which is 500 (Appendix 3). All these combined with anti-trafficking work will create an approach that is more comprehensive to this issue. In addition to this, creating awareness to the general public on the issue regarding the real cost of sex trafficking may go a long way towards resolving it. Ebbe and Das (2008) argue that continues and frequent reminding of the society of the actual cost of sex trafficking will help to affirm deep into the minds of the community and help them identify and fight the dehumanizing act. The real cost, in this case, includes degradation of human and women's right, poor public health, low and diminished social development and disrupted the community. On the other hand, victims of sex trafficking may acquire physical and psychological health conditions and other related social disadvantages. Therefore, this illustrates how sex trafficking is a critical health issue with broad social implications which need both legal and medical attention. Change is possible, and with the help of global organization such as the Clinton Global Initiative it will be easy to capitalize on the influx of new attention towards rejuvenating the anti-trafficking movement and this will require leaders and other stakeholders to have a reliable data in place as well as a common understanding of the abilities and possibilities of having proper strategies that will see reduction of most vulnerable members of our society. References Beddoe, C. (2007). Missing out. London: ECPAT UK. Bernat, F. (2013). Human Sex Trafficking. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Confronting commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States. (n.d.). . Dominelli, L. (2007). Revitalising communities in a globalising world. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. Ebbe, O. and Das, D. (2008). Global trafficking in women and children. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Female Sex Trafficking. (2012). Routledge. Flowers, R. (2006). Sex crimes. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas. Kara, S. (2016). Sex trafficking. [Place of publication not identified]: Columbia Univ Press. McCabe, K. and Manian, S. (2011). Sex trafficking. Lanham: Lexington Books. Nichols, A. (n.d.). Sex trafficking in the United States. Sex Trafficking, Law Enforcement and Perpetrator Accountability. (2015). Anti-Trafficking Review, (4). Wylie, G. and McRedmond, P. (2010). Human trafficking in Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Appendices Appendix 1 Source: US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Justice, and Free the Slaves. Appendix 2 Source: Missing Kid.org Appendix 3 Source: US Human Trafficking Hotline Read More